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<title>Vigil by Ein_The_Corgi</title>
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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24071167">Vigil</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ein_The_Corgi/pseuds/Ein_The_Corgi'>Ein_The_Corgi</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Final Fantasy XIV</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Drabble, Family, Grief/Mourning, Hurt No Comfort, Other, Patch 5.2: Echoes of a Fallen Star, Patch 5.2: Echoes of a Fallen Star Spoilers, Short &amp; Sweet</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 20:01:28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>299</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24071167</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ein_The_Corgi/pseuds/Ein_The_Corgi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>There would be no sleep for his weary soul tonight.</p><p>Very short Gaius drabble/slight vent fic.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Vigil</h2></a>
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    <p>Gaius sat up against a wall near Ghimlyt Dark, alone. The others had all either retired to a barracks or gone home for the night... but not him. After the events of the past few hours, there would be no rest for his weary soul tonight- and likely for a great many nights afterwards.</p><p>Milisandia, the youngest of the eight souls he had taken under his wing, was dead. Not only had she been killed at the tender age of thirty, but she had suffered. <em>Terribly</em>. The machine had literally taken over her entire body and used it as fuel, leaving nothing behind but a tarry sludge and a few half-melted scales. Gaius could only <em>imagine</em> the amount of pain she'd been in- and he knew <em>full well</em> what agony felt like, having been nearly <em>cooked alive</em> in the inferno that destroyed the Praetorium. Wherever her tortured soul was now... at least she wasn't feeling <em>that</em> anymore.</p><p>As the hours passed, Gaius's thoughts turned to his remaining children. Oh, how he <em>longed</em> to gather them up in one big cuddle, just like old times... There was no doubt they were hurting just as much as he was. He could see it in their eyes- especially those of the stoic Alfonse. They needed him <em>now</em>, more than ever. <em>All</em> of them- even Cid. He <em>wanted</em> to be there with them in their mourning, as any good father would... but he <em>couldn't</em>. He couldn't even try to apologize for the rude outburst he'd unleashed upon learning who had piloted the Ruby Weapon... not while they stood on an opposing side. Even if he'd <em>wanted</em> to return to Garlemald, he'd likely be killed on sight. All he could do was hope that they might see reason one day.</p><p>And so he hoped.</p>
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